Loose-leaf binder



SEARCH ROOM LUZ-5U J. P. GUINANE LOOSE-LEAF BINDER June 14, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 9, 1945 IN VEN TOR.

SEARCH ROOM J. P. GUINANE LOOSE-LEAF BINDER June 14, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1945 INVEN TOR. {gums Gui/10x10 197701 4; y

Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT SEARCH ROOM OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in locking means for loose leaf binders and it is particu larly directed to the type of locking means described in United States Patent No. 1,869,790 of August 2, 1932.

In these types of locking devices, an auxiliary post on one of the covers is designed to be received in a socket on the other of the covers and to be automatically retained in a mutual locking relationship which is unidirectional. That is, relative inward movement is permitted but any outward movement is resisted. The specific means for accomplishing this result, as shown in the above patent, comprises a socket having its lower portion wedge-shaped and a ball carrier slidably retained in the socket. The post on the opposing cover is telescoped by the ball carrier. Any attempt to urge the covers apart is resisted since, at that time, the balls of the ball carrier serve to wedge the post against the wedge-shaped portion of the socket. When the ball carrier is independently lifted to remove the balls from the narrow portion of the wedge, the post may be released and the covers separated. When the binder is to be closed, the ball carrier is restored over the post and depressed, whereupon it will telescope the post to an extent depending upon how many sheets are in the binder. When there are few sheets in the binder, the ball carrier descends until those sheets are clamped so that the binder automatically assumes a capacity commensurate with the number of sheets and is locked in that, position. This means that the contents are just as crowded whether the binder contains a maximum or a minimum number of sheets.

Bearing the foregoing in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide a locking device which will relieve a crowding of the contents when less than the maximum number of sheets are retained in the binder, and which will permit such sheets to turn freely as they are being used.

Another object of this invention is to provide a locking device wherein the binder will close so as to embrace the sheets regardless of their quantity but will automatically assume its maximum capacity position when the binder is opened for use so that when few sheets are retained therein, they may be turned in an area designed to accommodate a greater number of sheets.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved binder in the open position and ready for use.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the locking mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a, view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the release of the locking means.

Fig. 5 is a section alon the line 55 of Fig. 4.

The loose leaf binder comprises the usual cover members I0 and H. Cover [0 is scored and bent at l2 to form a lower sheet support 13 and is further provided with a back flange l4. Sheet support l3 has secured thereon the binder posts I5, l6 and I1, and the locking post I8. Cover member II is scored and bent at 19 to form back flange 20.

A clamping bar 2| has secured thereto tubular posts 22, 23 and 24 which telescope the binder posts [5, l6 and I1 respectively through the holes of the pile of sheets 9 so that the sheets are retained in the binder as is conventional.

A locking bar 25 has secured thereto as by rivets 26 and 2'! the elongated socket or tubular casing 28 which houses the locking mechanism. The tubular casing 28 enters through an opening 8 in the clamping bar 2| to suitably telescope the elongated locking post I 8 in a sliding relationship as will be hereinafter described.

Referring to Fig. 2, the socket or tubular casing 28 is terminated by the wedge portion 29 threaded at the outer end thereof. The wedge portion 29 is made separable because the wedge faces thereof require special hardening treatment which need not be accorded the remainder of the mechanism.

The ball carrier 30 is maintained in the socket 28 by the pin 3i which emerges from an opening in looking bar 25 and supports the manipulating ring 32. Ball carrier 30 is formed with openings in which steel balls 33 are loosely supported, the diameter of the balls being greater than the width of the wall of the ball carrier 3|] so that the peripheries of the balls extend beyond the plane of the outer side of the carrier. Thus the balls provide a locking connection between the wedge portion of the socket and the post 18 when the balls are disposed suificiently low in relation to the wedge portion and when the post I8 is in its maximum outward position as will be hereinafter described. The coil spring 34 has one terminal thereof against the locking bar 25 and the other terminal against a shoulder 35 formed on the ball carrier 30 so that the balls 33 are normally urged into narrow position of the wedge shaped socket 29 as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The locking post l8 has a head 36 formed at the outer end thereof, the diameter of which is substantially equal to the inside diameter of ball carrier 30 so as to slide freely therein. When the balls 33 are in their normal position they are maintained by the narrow portion of the wedge shaped socket so as to be in the path of the head 36 of the locking post I 8. Thus, the locking post may slide freely within but cannot escape from the socket 28, unless the ball carrier is lifted to bring the balls 33 into the wider portion of the wedge-shaped portion as shown in Fig. 4.

When the binder is in the closed position, the locking post I8 assumes the position shown in the broken lines of Fig. 2. The balls 33 are in their normal, locking position but the narrow ness of post I8 prevents any locking relationship as seen in Fig. 3. Thus, when the binder is opened, the post I8 automatically slides from the broken line to the full line position of Fig. 2, at which time the head, or thicker portion of post I8 registers with the wedge shaped portion so that the balls 33 engage the head 36 and lock the binder. It is obvious, therefore, that the binder is never locked until the locking post I8 and socket 28 are in their maximum relative outward or minimum telescoping position as shown in Fig. 1. Since this position represents substantially the maximum capacity, the binder will automatically assume its maximum capacity position regardless of how many sheets are contained therein. This objective is realized without disturbing the locked relationship of the covers except that the locking engagement is subjected to a delayed action while the narrow portion of post I8 is running free through the balls 33'. It will be evident from this construction that when fewer than the maximum number of sheets are in the binder, they will not be crowded, but will turn freely when the binder is in use.

The locking engagement is released by manually lifting the ring 32 which lifts the ball carrier 30 through the pin 3|. The halls then are brought from an inward radial position as controlled by the restricted outer end of wedge portion 29, to an enlarged or outward radial position as illustrated in Fig. 4. This permits the escape of the head 36 from the wedge shaped member as illustrated in Fig. 5.

I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is obvious that numerous changes and omissions may be made without departing from its spirit.

I claim:

1. In a loose leaf binder comprising a pair of cover members, an elongated socket connected to one of said cover members, a wedge portion disposed at the outer end of said socket and con verging away from said socket, a hollow, manually liftable ball carrier slidably mounted in said socket, a. plurality of balls carried by the wall of said ball carrier, an elongated locking post on the other of said cover members, and an enlarged head integrally formed on the outer end of said locking post, said head and post being freely slidable within said ball carrier and being adapted to be engaged by the balls of said ball carrier in cooperation with said wedge portion whereby said post and head may slide freely in said ball carrier to permit the free operation of said cover members until said enlarged head meets said wedge portion whereupon said ball carrier and said head are engaged in a locking relationship preventing further relative outward movement when so mutually outwardly disposed so that the locking post head is locked in said ball carrier until the ball carrier is manually lifted to release the balls from engagement with said head.

2. In a loose leaf binder comprising a pair of cover members, an elongated socket connected to one of said cover members, a wedge portion disposed at the outer end of said socket and converging away from said socket, a hollow, manually liftable ball carrier slidably mounted in said socket, a plurality of balls carried by the wall of said ball carrier, an elongated locking post on the other of said cover members and telescoped by said ball carrier, said locking post being formed of two thicknesses along its length, the greater of said thicknesses being formed at the outer end of said locking post, the lesser of said thicknesses being freely slidable in said ball carrier and said greater thickness being engageable by said balls when said balls are urged into an inward radial position by said wedge portion, said greater thickness being freely slidable in the remainder of said ball carrier whereby a locking engagement of said balls and greater thickness is attainable when said ball carrier and locking post are in a substantially minimum telescoping position and whereby said greater thickness may be fully released from said balls and wedge portion by lifting said balls to an outward radial position.

JAMES P. GUINANE.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenices are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 793,790 Hulquist July 4, 1905 1,070,780 Crump Aug. 19, 1913 2,308,363 Guinane Jan. 12, 1943 

